Objective of the study. - Hepatitis A virus (HAV) genotype II is rarely isolated. Between 2002 and 2007, the National HAV Reference Center, as part of its surveillance program, identified six strains of subgenotype IIA. Only one patient had traveled outside mainland France, to Benin. Assuming an African origin for this subgenotype, we determined its prevalence among strains isolated in 2008 from travelers returning from Africa, then characterized its genetic variability. Patients and methods.- Sera were collected using data from mandatory reporting. The viral genotype was determined based on phylogenetic analysis of the VP1/2A region. The P1 region was characterized to compare the genetic diversity of genotype II with that of other genotypes. Results. In 2008, five out of 54 strains imported from West Africa were of subgenotype IIA. Additionally, one “autochthonous” strain and two African strains were isolated in 2008 and 2009, respectively. In total, 14 isolates (eight African and six “autochthonous”) were analyzed. The genetic diversity of genotype II is lower than that of other genotypes. Phylogenetic analysis identified two clusters: one comprising only “autochthonous” strains and the other comprising the African strains and two “autochthonous” strains. Conclusion.—The majority of subgenotype IIA strains isolated in France were imported from West Africa. The unknown mode of transmission in two-thirds of the “autochthonous” cases suggests another geographic origin or a French reservoir yet to be discovered. (R.A.)